Shadows of Life
by Al Bhed- Pypa
Summary: They were gone for good right? then why did these shadows talk like them, walk like them, and fill the void they left behind? Rated for Swearing and mild Inuendos
1. Missions and Castles

Alrighty, chapter one!! Party on everyone. Ok so this story is from Shikamaru's point of view… so enjoy…

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters! This story merely represents the official view of the voices in my head

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The four original genin teams, plus the sand siblings. That's what this mission took. There were the 14 of us and our 4 teachers. Team Kakashi was short one person but other then that it was all of us, and we still couldn't win. Some how we managed to loose 5 people in the process. FIVE PEOPLE! We let them die! We were that incompetent that we couldn't even succeed one bloody mission with 18 people on it. To make matter worse, we were all in shock. One member from each team was gone. They were literally selected. And I don't mean no twist of fate happen to select them, as in literally they were taken because they each were from one team. It was horrible. One by one they were led to the middle of this field, and brought to their knees and slaughtered brutally before our eyes. First Lee, who held his head high and let his life be taken for the survival of us all. Yet tears still poured down his cheeks and we all realized how young he really was to give everything up. Then Kakashi, who went in silence. No struggle, nothing. He knew he was beaten and wasn't going to make matters worse with a struggle Next was Kurenai who put up one hell of a fight, and practically had to be dragged to the field. But, it only made her death all the more brutal. Next was Kankuro of the sand. If you think you've heard a lot of swearing in one sentence you haven't heard anything. But that was quickly ended by the sword of the death bearer. I think even Gaara cracked as we saw the curtains go down on the puppet masters life. And last the eyes of our enemies were turned to my team. None of us could move. We were all frozen in place, the one reason why we had done nothing to help our friends as they were sentenced to their bloody ends. The eyes fell upon Ino, and my heart broke from the look on her face alone. Eyes widened and she began to squirm. She couldn't run but she tried none the less. Once she was seized she began to kick and let out a scream that could have broken glass. Tears flew freely down her face and she cursed the heavens and everything around her. Her hand flew to mine and clung to me for all she had in her.

"Don't let them take me" she whispered "please, don't let them" but I couldn't do anything. That jutsu holding me in place kept me from helping her. I couldn't do anything. I was so ashamed. But the tears in my eyes told her I cared. She stopped screaming when she knew that she couldn't be saved. But the noise was replaced by sobs, sobs that echoed the clearing as she was forced to her knees in the blood of her slain comrades. I wanted to look away, I couldn't watch this, but I had no choice I was tied to the spot with invisible thread and her final moments were all I was able to see. If there was anyone in that clearing with dry eyes at the moment her cries were silenced then they had no heart. After the 5 were gone. We were released. Released and left with these words.

"Let this be a warning to you. Not to meddle where you aren't needed. Your Hokage has been sent the footage of this precious moment and will have already seen it by the time you return."

And then we were left alone. We were free, but no one moved. After what we witnessed I don't think anyone was going to be the same again.

It's been three years since that day. And they have been hell for all of Konoha. There was the bodiless funerals, the ceremonies. The monument erected of the 5 of them in there honour and a constant reminder that they gave their lives for the sake of the village. And not a day goes by that we all don't feel incomplete. But, we have moved on, they wouldn't have wanted us to spend every moment of our lives pining for them. They would have wanted us to spend our days in, if I am allowed to be so cliché, youth as lee always told us to be. And I guess we are giving him what he wanted as one last wish of his fufilled.

"Shikamaru! Wake up! The Hokage called she wants you in her office in half an hour for a mission"

That's the best way to wake up isn't it? You mother in your ear nagging you about a mission. I groan and roll over. Opening my eyes takes effort so I do it slowly. I eventually sit up and scratch my head as I see my mother frowning at me from the door way.

"At this rate you'll get there tomorrow! Now hurry up you lazy git"

With that the door is slammed, adding to my now forming headache. I pull myself out of the bed and throw on the same clothes from yesterday that I picked off the floor. I sniff them a few times to make sure they don't stink to bad. By the time I get downstairs breakfast is made and the crazy lady I call my mum is singing in the kitchen. What happened to bitchy mc stick in ass? Man that lady has more mood swings then anyone I know.

When I got to the Hokage's office I found I wasn't alone, in the office with me was Neji, Naruto, and Kiba. I wasn't too surprised, often the four of us were paired together. We made a good team and got along well. The mission is simple enough. Go to a town called Parville and get a scroll. Bring it back to the village without anyone knowing it left the town it resides in. simple? That's what I thought to. We set off as normal. It would take 2 days to get there, and 2 to get back. Things were ok as we walked. Me and Neji had a pleasant and rational conversation while the two fucktards who called themselves 18 years olds were having a contest over who could spit a sunflower seed the farthest. I swear by the time we reached our first camp site I had decided on two things. 1) that I was very glad that we had stopped and I could get away from the lunatics and 2) a fork, if bent in the proper ways could be shoved into ones nasal passage and puncture the brain killing one instantly (a theory I would have proven had Kiba and Naruto's conversation on how sting bikinis were better then normal ones because they were easier to accidentally untie while applying sunscreen to an innocent girls back who happened to be dumb enough to let either of them anywhere near her while in a bathing suit had gone one any longer.)

I went off to find myself a little corner to sit in until dinner when I was forced to convene with these stumps with brains. But instead found myself looking at something I had never seen before. Off in the distance was a castle. Yep that's right a fucking castle. This boggled my mind, so I called Kiba over to see this. Yes I know, why call the man who's more of an animal then a human, but the man spends more then half his time in these woods and mountains he is bound to know if a castle has been there before or not.

"I gotta say, I haven't been out this far into the mountains since well…you know, the incident… but I can honestly say that there was no fucking castle there before. If there was, well then fuck me hard from behind, I must be blind"

"Thank you for that lovely image, I think now that we all want to gouge our eyes out at the thought of Kiba being fucked, by anyone or anything"

"What do you mean by thing, I never-"

" I think that it would be best to explore that building. Word will be sent to the Hokage"

I'm am not one to add extra work to anything, but there was something about that place that really bugged me, and I really don't know what it is. Also, I think that we could use a break from the normal missions. At Kiba's mention of what happened three years before he seemed to have gone rather quiet and wandered off. He was one of the ones that took it the hardest when it happened. There were a few of them who really took it bad. Gaara and Temari obviously who lost a brother. And Gai, because of his dedication to Lee. And team 7 and 8 were devastated at the loss of their teachers. But Kiba, was always looking lost. He would wander around, his mind blank. He seemed to be a completely different person. I mean, I took Ino's death pretty hard, but Kiba…was different. It took prodding from Shino for 3 weeks before anyone got it out of him. It turns out he was taking Kankuro's death hardest. No one really knew why, but with more prodding , gently, the whole story was revealed.

When Kankuro rescued Kiba from the sound ninjas when we were 12, Kiba couldn't walk at all. So he was carried to Konoha where he needed immediate medical attention for his stab wounds. The one who carried him out of the mountains was Kankuro. It took 3 days because he was going slowly to make sure Kiba wasn't bounced too much. And on the time, Kankuro took care of Kiba as if it were a team mate in trouble. So on that journey Kiba promised that if there was ever a moment where Kankuro needed a hero, he would make sure he'd be there. After that, the two remained friends, and the promise was never forgotten. So when Kiba watched the puppet master die in front of him, and he didn't save him, he felt as though it was his fault. He didn't fulfill his promise and let him die.

That aside, we decided that the next day we would head to the castle

"Kiba, if I have to ask you one more godamn time to move you leg I'm going to break it off"

"Oooh is the Hyuga having some trouble sharing space"

"I don't mind sharing space dog breath, what I mind is sharing the space on both sides of me with the same person"

"Clearly you don't get out much"

"What the hell does that –"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP"

"Stay out of this Blondie"

"Hey! I'm trying to sleep ok"  
"well I would be to if tardo of here wasn't lying practically on me"

"Hey it's not my fault! Narutard is the one who packed a two man tent for the four of us"

"Then lie on him"

"You're comfier"

"I'm pretending I didn't hear that"

"Pretend all you want, it won't make it real. Trust me, if pretending made things real then a long time ago Hinata would have—"

"If you finish that sentence about my cousin, you will not see tomorrow"

"I sense negative energy in the space, Neji how long have you been having these feelings?"

"What..The..Hell… that's it, Kiba, your dead"

"Death threats are not the answer young grass hopper breath in then…OW HEY!! WHAT THE HELL HYUGA"

That's when I decided to stop being asleep and step in and break them up. Alright I'm sure you are all wondering what the hell is going on in this tent. Well, when we set up for the night we all wondered why the tent looked a little on the small side. Turns out Naruto packed a 2 man tent instead of a 4 man one like the little shit head he is. So we all crammed inside seeing as no one wanted to be sleeping out in the cold. And if you had any wonders on how one might sleep in such an arrangement as this, well let me paint you a picture. I was on one end, curled up as tight as I could make myself. Beside me was Naruto who takes up way to much room then one person should, his elbows were imbedded in my back all night. Beside him was Kiba who decided to be an ass, because beside him, against the other wall, was Neji. Now Kiba had his legs so sprawled they went over Neji and rested on the wall of the tent on the other side. This arrangement is what sparked the argument.

"All of you shut up and go to sleep. Now Kiba, you come switch places with me"

"Why"  
" so you and the blonde haired idiot can sprawl all over each other as much as you want. And maybe we'll all get some sleep tonight"

So me and Kiba switched places, leaving Naruto and Kiba to be as annoying and spread out as they like, and me and Neji curled up in to our own little balls and not touching anything. And let's say, we all got some sleep.

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AN. Ok, so that was chapter one! What do you all think? Ok so I know I managed to kill out 5 characters in the first like page, but oh well, don't worry there was a point to that, hahahahah PLOT TWISTS tee hee… ok so please please please review, and I shall post more chappies!! Taa taa for now!! Bye bye

Oh and if any of you are wondering…. I have put 4 people in a 2 man tent… and let's say it can get interesting.


	2. Sleeping Naked

Okies, chapter two. I am sad because I only got one review… but, I shall listen to that review and tone down the swearing…

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, for if I did, I would not be writing fan fiction I would be putting my crazed ideas onto public television and mangas all around the world

It was dark. That's really all I have to say about the castle. It was really dark, not a single light on.

It had taken all day to get here, and we were standing outside of the building and there was not a single light anywhere, nor anything that made it look lived in. none of us seemed to want to move, let alone open the door. So we sent Neji to do it. Of course he refused; obviously, it took some uh persuading, if you can call it that, from Kiba.

"Hey Neji, did you know that your cousin looks absolutely stunning in a bikini. And I mean amazing! It makes me want to lure her into a dark closet and tie her hands nice and tight together so she can't move and just—"

"Fine fine fine fine fine I'll open the damn door! Just please stop talking"

"Thank you Neji-kins"

"Kiba"

"What"

"One of these days I am going to kill you"

"Most likely…now can you open the door?"

"I…you…I just… UGGHHHH"

So after Neji's little break down he went to the door. Leaving Kiba laughing like a toddler. The door was locked however, and Neji took hold of the large brass knocker on the door and knocked three times. For good measure he said.

"Why don't you just use the Byagkugan to see if anyone is going to come?"

If you think I am the one who came up with smart plan, then unfortunately you are wrong. I think Kiba was just trying to make up for mentally scaring the Hyuga. And it some what worked.

"Oh my god, someone is coming! Quick someone think of an excuse to be here"

"Lost?"

"Kiba, clearly we aren't lost"

"Hungry"

"That won't work Naruto"

"But I am hungry"

"Then eat dog boy"

"Touch me and die"

"Neji, just tell them that we were sent by the Hokage to explore the area and it began to rain and we need a place to seek shelter"

"That's a good idea Nara, except its not raining"

CRACK

"It is now"

"Fine, we use that idea….what smells like wet dog?"

"That would be me"

"May I help you?"

We all looked up from our little argument to see a man standing in the door way. He looked about our age, but this is only judging by height. He was completely covered by a black cloak the showed only his mouth and the bottom part of his nose. Under the cloak black pants could be seen. He was kind of creepy looking, but his voice was gentle, almost familiar, but gentle none the less and it made us feel comforted in a way we hadn't felt in a long time.

"We are really sorry to bother you sir, but we come from the village of Konoha on a mission, and it began to rain and we need a place for shelter. Would you be so kind as to let us in?"

Neji, always the perfect gentlemen. The man looked at the Hyuga for a few moments. Looking as though he was about to say something. But stayed silent and beckoned us inside and into the front hall. There was no light, and he made no effort to make any.

"My lord and his family are just sitting down to a meal; you will join them as I prepare a place for you to stay the night"

We all nodded and followed him through the dark, haunting hallways. When we arrived at a dinning room there were four people sitting around a table. They all had the same black cloaks, but two had dresses beneath showing that they were girls.

"My lord, we have four visitors from the village of Konoha, who wish to stay the night with us"

The man we took to be the one in charge was sitting at the head of the table. Even sitting down I could tell that he was a tall man, and when he spoke his voice was deep and mysterious.

"They may stay, prepare rooms." When the boy, who I took as a butler, left the lord told us to sit down at the table. We did as we were told, and I exchanged worried glances with Neji across the table. I had found myself next to the younger girl who seemed to be watching me.

The dinner was very quiet, save for the occasional clink of a glass or a fork hitting a plate. There was no lights, no candles, nothing. I couldn't see the faces of anyone around the table, and the cloaks made me realize that was probably the reason for all the darkness. When the dinner was finished, the lord and his wife told us that the butler would show us to our rooms. Like dinner, the walk was in complete silence. Kiba was walking beside me and I couldn't help but nudge him and send him a look showing my confusion and nervousness.

"What is going on here…what are they hiding from?"

"The bogey man"

"No, Gai is still in Konoha"

"Here is your room's sir" we stopped walking and looked up. There were two large wooden doors "your things have already been delivered to the rooms. Now it's late, I'll leave you to sleep. Enjoy your night"

With that the man walked away. Neji's eyes followed him as he left. I couldn't help but notice the tell tale veins beside his eyes, he was looking under the cloak. Checking for danger. I was used to it, but what I wasn't used to were his eyes widening and looking almost longing at the figuring disappearing down the dark hall.

"Neji..." I asked quietly,

I was going to say more but he merely shook his head and turned to the doors.

"Its nothing, lets go look in what rooms we are in. if we are lucky me and you are together"

We weren't so lucky. I was stuck with the blonde headed loudmouth idiot, leaving Neji with his all time favourite Inuzuka, who couldn't help but smile

"Won't this be fun Neji-kins?"

"What did I say about that name?"

"Just me and you, telling stories and giggling"

"I swear, if you talk to me tonight I'm gutting you open like a fish"

"Touchy touchy…."

Finally we bid goodnight, and the two disappeared into their room. Kiba winked at me as he disappeared. I had a feeling that we were going to hear them bickering all night long.

It wasn't too bad in our room. I only had to put up with two hours of Naruto being insanely hyper and bouncing off walls and telling me stories that I really didn't care about. Finally we settled down for the night when there were noises coming through the walls. Coming from the room next to us, it was Kiba and Neji. They had managed to keep quiet this long, but that surprised me knowing Kiba.

"Hey Neji"

"What"

"Guess what"

"No"

"Come on"

"Fine, what"  
"I'm sleeping NAKED"

"Kiba, I swear to god..."

"Hahaha, I'm just kidding my mild mannered friend. You are very sensitive about these things did you know that"

"What ever…can you shut up now?"

"No…. I'm not that tired"  
"well, I am..So please be quiet"

" You are no fun.."

"I really don't care…being fun was never my job"  
"well no duh… hey Neji…did you know that if you put juice in your mouth and then tilt your head downwards and suck really hard. When you open your mouth the juice will stay in your mouth instead of falling out"

"I don't know where you come up with these things"

"I get bored at lunch"

"Oh?"

"Ya,… Shino and Hinata are the two most boring people…."

"That's amazing…now goodnight dog breath"

Then there was silence. For a moment I thought I would be able to sleep… until..

"Kiba….Kiba…WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!!?!"

'My bed got cold.."

"So, you can't just come into mine"

"Too late"

"ARGHHH WHAT THE FUCK"

"Oopps…are my feet cold?"

"Get out!!!"

"But Neji-kins"

The next thing I knew, my door was thrown open and there was Neji, standing in the door way looking more pissed then I've ever seen him.

"I hate that boy"

With that he walked to my bed and got in

"Didn't you just yell at him for sharing beds…?"

"I just hate him… with you I don't mind"

"Should I be flattered…?"

"Just go to sleep Nara…go to sleep"

Ok, I gotta say I am loving the Kiba and Neji moments in this… I truly am!! I am so tempted to write a small story of just the two of them. Annnnnnnnnyway… SAVE MY SANITY AND REVIEW PLEASE!!!! See that little button there? Ya that one… press it! Please…it takes like 3 seconds to review a story…make me a happy writer!! …because right now I am a sad one thinking my writing is not appreciated TT…oh well…peace out!


	3. Puppets and Gardens

**AN/ Okies, chapter three of my first crack fic everybody! I want to thank all that took the time to review my story. It really means a lot to me, and hopefully I will get more reviews next time…anyways.**

**A small note: I didn't intend any pairings in the last chapter! If you took it that way and liked them then go ahead and fantasize as much as you want. But to those who did not enjoy them I want to say this, "I was not hinting at ShikaxNeji when Neji crawled into Shika's bed. He merely did not want to sleep in the same room as Kiba. I always thought that Neji and Shika would have been good friends had they been given the chance so I am portraying that in this story. Also Kiba does not "like" Neji; he merely finds it highly amusing to annoy him." **

**That is all… enjoy the story. **

**Disclaimer: IMPORTANT: This Fan fiction is intended for the use of the individual readers of Naruto fandom and may contain information that is confidential, privileged or unsuitable for overly sensitive persons with low self-esteem, no sense of humour or irrational religious beliefs. If you are not the intended reader, any dissemination, distribution or copying of this fic is not authorised (either explicitly or implicitly) and constitutes an irritating social faux pas. Unless the word absquatulation has been used in its correct context somewhere other than in this warning, it does not have any legal or grammatical use and may be ignored. No animals were harmed in the creation of this fanfic, although the Yorkshire terrier next door is living on**

**Borrowed time let me tell you. Those of you with an overwhelming fear of the unknown will be gratified to learn that there is no hidden message revealed by reading this warning backwards, so just ignore that Alert Notice from Microsoft: However, by pouring a complete circle of salt around yourself and your computer you can ensure that no harm befalls you and your pets. If you opened this fic in error, please add some nutmeg and egg whites and place it in a warm oven for 40 minutes. Whisk briefly and let it stand for 2 hours before icing.**

**((I forget where I got the disclaimer, but this is ITS disclaimer: I did not write it))**

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When I woke up this morning it was so dark I could barley see my hand in front of my face. I was about to go back to sleep thinking I had woken up to early, but when I looked at the clock on the dresser beside me and saw the bright letters glowing the numbers 9:34am. I blinked a few times.

"Is that clock broken? troublesome" I muttered and then rolled over to go back to sleep and found myself with a face full of hair. I sat up really fast; there was some…thing in my bed. I leaned closer as it shifted and found myself face to face with one sleeping Neji Hyuga.

"What the hell… oh right, he came to my room last night"

Turing my back to him to avoid any unnecessary closeness I closed my eyes and fell asleep again. I barley lay there when I felt someone poking me in the face. I opened my eyes again to see Naruto in front of me.

"What do you want?" I asked him, the anger was very clear through my words. I was not having a good morning. I mean, I woke up to a broken clock, a Hyuga in my bed, and poked awake again after like 3 minutes by the most annoying person I know.

"Umm Shikamaru… I woke up and my clock said 9:37am… and I thought it was wrong but when I checked my watch the time was right… but it's so dark…there's no storm I t shouldn't be dark… what's going on?"

I groaned and sat up. Ok scratch broken clock off my list of bad things, but still so far the day was pissing me off. All the noise and shuffling woke up Neji who rubbed his eyes and sat up as well. Clearly Naruto was asleep when he had come in and was not expecting him to just appear.

"Holy sh… Neji what are you doing"

"I was sleeping"

"Why were you in Shikamaru's bed?"

"You got a problem with it?"

I ignored them both and got out of bed.

"Both of you wake yourselves up. Clearly there is something with this castle seeing as they all love darkness and black. I'm going to wake up Kiba, and when we come back we will discuss figuring out this castle our new mission."

With that, I left the room and walked down the hall to the room beside mine. I walked through it cautiously. I had learned from past mistakes that Kiba was an interesting person to wake up in the morning. When I got to his bed I found him sprawled out on his stomach. The covers were sitting around his waist and one leg was hanging off the bed. All the pillows had been discarded. He looked peaceful enough, but something seemed to be missing. Then it hit me. The dog. Akamaru headed home after we went to the castle. And the way Kiba's arm circled out holding nothing made me wish the dog had come. But there wasn't time to feel sorry for the Inuzuka now. So I reached down and gently shook his shoulder only for him to roll over and completely ignore me. I shook him harder but he still only grunted. I sighed and leaned down to his ear. I tried to shake him harder still but he ended up rolling over again and trapping my arm beneath him. This pissed me off, so I leaned into his ear and whispered:

"Oooh wow look at the legs on her, those shorts are so short I can see..."

That got him up

"Where!"

He sat up like an eager eyes puppy. Only to receive a whack to the back of the head. I stared at him with my arms crossed.

"You are way too troublesome in the morning Inuzuka. But come on, team meeting in my room."

"Fine, but you're going to have to carry me Nara"

I don't know how I, the laziest ninja in Konoha, wound up carrying one of the most hyper ninjas to my room. But it was the only way he'd come. The look on Neji's face when I walked in would have been funny, had my back not hurt. I dropped the dog boy off my shoulders and rubbed my back.

"You way a ton!"

"All muscle baby"

"…troublesome."

After we went over what was going on, or as much as we knew (which wasn't much) we decided that one of us would go back to the village and ask permission from the Hokage to stay as long as it took for us to figure out what was going on. Naruto volunteered to go back, and I didn't argue. Naruto and Tsnuade got along more then she did with any of the rest of us, so if she would give permission to change our mission to anyone it would be Naruto. To not make trouble he left out the window right then and there. As for the rest of us, we decided to go downstairs and see if anyone else was awake yet.

Somehow we ended up being met in the hallway by the butler, who led us down to the large table for breakfast. It was only us this time, and I have to say the eggs were amazing, not that it was of any importance. Anyway, after breakfast we decided to split up and explore the castle ourselves. I found myself outside in a garden. It was light, and I was shocked. The flowers were beautiful, all yellows and purples. As I sat down on a stone bench it made me remember how Ino used to love flowers. She would always bring me and Chouji and Asuma some to training. And she always knew what they were called, and what they meant. It was annoying at the time, but looking back now I would give anything to have her there beside me, rambling about flowers.

"That one beside you is a Gardenia. It means a secret love"

My head shot up when I heard the voice. Looking around me I saw the young girl, with the black cloak. She came and sat beside me. Her lips were turned up in a smile. And the long hair that hung limply around her shoulders was blonde as I could see now in the light.

"I'm surprised you are out here" I told her "I assumed you hated the light, with all the black... oops oim sorry that sounded a little rude"

Her smile faltered

"No its fine, I'm the only one who comes out here. I love the flowers... and I get sick of that old musty castle. I've lived there all my life, but it somehow doesn't seem right."

I nodded and looked around at all the flowers. She seemed so in place here. I know it's foolish since I cannot see her… it's just something about it.

"Umm, can I ask you a question" I said slowly. She smiled and nodded

"Can you take you hood off"

The smile quickly disappeared, and she stood up fast.

"Umm no, I'm sorry I can't, and umm I have to uh go… I hear my mum calling, bye!"

With that she ran quickly from the garden, and I just sat there. There was something weird going on, and I didn't like it.

oOoOoOoO

Kiba walked through the long dark hallways of the 3rd floor. His hands were shoved in his pockets and he sighed at all the blank empty walls.

"This place needs some color" he mumbled to himself as he dragged one hand over the walls so it left fingerprints in the dust as he walked by. That's when he saw it. Filling the whole wall at the end of the hallway was a mural. It was beautiful. A single silhouette hung by its arms from bright blue strings that seemed to hold it suspended in mid air. Around the silhouette were swirls of reds and purples. It was the most amazing thing he had ever seen. He just stood in the hall and stared at it.

"So, you like my art" a deep voice asked behind him. Kiba spun around to be faced with the cloaked boy from the table earlier. He nodded then went back to gaping at it

"You painted that! It's amazing" Kiba said, meaning every word. The boy chuckled and thanked him.

"Look, I can't stay and chat, but your welcome to come up here anytime to see it, its still a work in progress."

Kiba thanked him and ran his fingers along the silhouette.

"Did u name the piece yet" he asked, as the cloaked figure disappeared down the hall

"Ya" he called back "the puppet master"

ooOOooOOoo

Neji found himself on the top floor. He gazed out one of the windows. He was lost in thought, and couldn't bring himself to patrol a castle. All he could think about was what his all seeing eyes had seen under that cloak the day before. He shook his head and told himself for the hundredth time he didn't see what he thought he did. Suddenly he heard foot steps and turned around. The butler was headed his way. He resisted all urges to look again. If it was what he thought under the cloak, he didn't want to know. The butler walked by with out much a glance to the Hyuga. And as soon as he was out of earshot Neji felt himself whisper.

"Springtime isn't gone yet"

ooOOooOOooOO ooOOooOOooOO ooOOooOOooOO ooOOooOOooOO ooOOooOOo

**AN/ that's it for this chappie… I know it has been a long time, and I know it is short. I just wanted to get something up there so people don't think I died, or the story did anyway…tis all…hope you liked. Keep your eyes open for chapter 4… it is coming soon.**


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